Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Kathryn had fought back.

At first, when her adoptive brothers beat her, she resisted with everything she had.

They were older and stronger, but she refused to go down without a fight. She threw anything she could get her hands on at them.

One time, she even grabbed a hatchet and chased them across the village.

They were terrified.

Even when her adoptive mother tried to punish her on their behalf, Kathryn didn't back down-she raised the hatchet and swung at her, too.

Her defiance finally shocked them into submission.

After that, they never dared to lay a hand on her again.

But she still had to live in that house, relying on them for food and shelter. The abuse didn't stop-it just took different forms. She was always hungry, always cold, never given decent clothes or a proper place to sleep.

And her adoptive father, the man who had brought her into that family, never once stepped in. He never defended her.

Kathryn hated him the most.

was sent to prison, he later died of a

knew the truth-her biological mother had arranged for

anything, she thought

the Farrell family, her adoptive mother and brothers tried

drain

never gave

she had already built a successful business and was worth tens of

secret from her adoptive family. She had no intention of helping them.

her for years-why should she lift a finger for

She wasn't a saint.

touched her face, his heart aching. "Miss, none of that will ever happen again." Then he

swelling has gone down a lot," he

beaten,

tending to her

How about Wiltspoon? Or Annenburg? It doesn't

thought for a moment. "If it's too hot, we can turn on the air conditioner. But the cold? If there's no

of everything she had endured

suffer from frostbite

that she

got frostbite